Our Vision
We came up with the idea of creating a more realistic testing environment. The goal was to be able to study the intersection between behavior, biology, technology, and the built environment in a well-controlled setting.
Facilities like HomeLab are exceptionally rare. We want to make Michigan the premier location for such research in the world.
– Richard Gonzalez, PhD
Co-Director of HomeLab
WHAT MAKES A LAB A HOME?
…The People
Participant Experience
Coordinator
I want our participants to know that we value them as people, not just a number. Each of our participants has a life story that has shaped them. Whether I’m recruiting older adults, young families, or persons from marginalized communities, it’s my job to help our participants feel comfortable to be themselves and know that we will treat them and the information they share with the utmost respect and care.
…The Space
Human-Environment
Research Specialist
The HomeLab feels like you are walking into your friend’s apartment to catch up on the weekend. Featuring functional appliances, ADA accommodations, and adjustable sound and lighting, the lab is equipped to ensure that participants feel comfortable. Researchers can use these tools to recreate the experience of daily routines.
As the Human-Environment Research Specialist for HomeLab, it’s my job to help reinvent the space for each unique study.
WHAT MAKES A HOME A LAB?
…The Technology
Research Process
Director
HomeLab provides the latest tools to enable deep questions about the intersection of human biology, our social lives, and the built environment of our homes. Our suite of A/V equipment, control systems, and physiological sensors continues to expand to meet the needs of our faculty.
I’m here to remove technological obstacles to facilitate our collaborators’ creative investigation into the human experience.
…The big questions
Founding Managing Director
At U-M, we’re trying to answer Big Research Questions that take many brilliant minds to tackle. I help HomeLab users connect with other researchers and navigate expert resources within our network.
With my background in organizational change and leadership development, it’s a joy to see the spark of an idea grow into lasting multidisciplinary collaborations.
…The students
The problem-solving skills I have developed throughout my time at the HomeLab have increased my capabilities as an engineer and an academic.
– Cyrus Najarian, BSE Engineering
The HomeLab is not only a forward-thinking laboratory but an educational space that has invested in me personally.
– Leigh Yeh, BS Cog. Science
I have learned about the importance of integrative interdisciplinary research. […] I’ve made connections with researchers I admire deeply in my field, whom I’m lucky to now work with.
– Jordan Chamberlain, BS Psychology
…THE TRAINING
Training at HomeLab not only enhances research skills but also fosters a dynamic network of colleagues who share a commitment to advancing innovative, human-centered research. Through collaborative, hands-on learning, participants build lasting professional connections while gaining tools to elevate their research—creating a community of scholars ready to tackle complex challenges together.
